Member Rating

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Valor disappointment

Sail Date:
October 2010

Destination:
Western Caribbean

Embarkation:
Miami

On our seventh cruise (fourth with Carnival)we noticed a drastic dive in the quality of service and food. The cost cutting was so blatant compared to past cruises. For example; the breakfast menu was severely limited and the quality of the food was downright poor. Coffee and tea were absolutely undrinkable. We are not gourmets and consequently can handle most anything without too much concern or complaint. But the coffee was absolutely nasty. Likewise, the iced tea. I can't begin to imagine where it was bought or who concocted it.

For breakfast there was never any fresh orange juice. Instead there was some kind of orange drink that was squirted from a dispenser. I've had orange Kool Aid that was far better.

Unfortunately most of the food followed the quality of the drinks that were offered. In the formal dining room, our table did not have a number on it which made it very difficult to find for the first couple nights. Even after commenting on the problem to More
the maitre'd, it was never resolved throughout the cruise.

On the first night of the cruise I ordered barley soup but could not find one grain of barley in it. I again ordered it on another night and found ONE grain of barley in it. I got lucky that night because all the others who ordered the barley soup never did find a piece of barley. I jokingly commented to the maitre'd about the absence of barley in the barley soup and the problem was never addressed. And for this I'm supposed to tip him???

Three days into the cruise we had still not met our cabin steward. I contacted guest relations and suddenly the cabin steward was at my door with profuse apologies. Unfortunately, good service did not follow the visit. Dirty glasses were repeatedly left in our cabin after daily clean up. When they were picked up, none were left in exchange.

Often there was only one towel left for the two of us. The problems such as these were persistent throughout the cruise.

The constant hounding to buy overpriced drinks, photos, etc. became very tiresome. Now I know why they call this cruise line 'Carnival'. It's just like being on the midway and having everyone yelling at you to play their little rigged games.

The little deceptions were disgusting. Come to the art auction, we're giving one lucky winner $500! At the end of the auction, it was finally disclosed that the $500 was actually a $500 DISCOUNT on an art purchase.

All in all, this was not a nice vacation. After a few days it became a test of endurance and we were most happy to see it end.

So for now, there will be no more cruises for us. Cruising has ceased to be a vacation bargain. Less

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Cabin review: Carnival Valor Balcony Verandah 8452

Balcony unusable. Smokers next door. Carnival tries to appeal to everyone so there is no good, healthy smoking policy. If you don't smoke, it's just tough luck, you have to breathe it anyway or stay off your balcony as we did.

This port was nasty and disgusting. Street hawkers everywhere hounding you to buy marijuana, drugs, and whores. Taxis everywhere charging exhorbitant rates! Streets were filthy. One cruiser said there was human excrement on the sidewalk.